When I watched the final episode of Nice Guy yesterday I thought the ending was clear as to what happened. How it came about was awkwardly presented but what happened was not disputable. Then came those who felt the ending was a dream sequence, but today the production confirmed that sequence was meant to be taken literally. Song Joong Ki gave a post-finale interview where he confirmed: Maru did not die, the ending is not a fantasy sequence, and Maru did remember Eun Gi but was teasing her for a bit until he handed her the rings which revealed to her that he remembers her. Those two got their happy ending. A production member explained that the opening sequence in episode 20 was changed – the clock hand runs forward instead of backwards, and the final shot is of a smiling Maru instead of a crying Maru – as a clear foreshadowing that this episode would be a happy ending. Eagle-eyed fans have noticed that its the same haircut Song Joong Ki in both shots of the opening (crying and smiling), indicating that Lee Kyung Hee intended for NG to have a happy ending from the outset. I don’t know about that, but I do appreciate how clever with the little touches this drama has been, and the changed opening sequence from episode 20 is yet another example of how this drama pays attention to detail.
In the interview, Song Joong Ki also revealed the ages of the characters at the very end, Maru is 37 and lawyer Ahn is 50 (by the time he gets out of prison), so we can use that to figure out the rest of the character ages. He also said that the little girl pointing out that Maru goes every day to buy crappy food from Eun Gi is also a confirmation that he remembers her. She probably spent 6 years raising little Eun Seok and running Tae San while Maru was in medical school abroad. After Jae Hee got out of prison and Maru came back to open the clinic in the countryside is when Eun Gi left Tae San to Jae Hee and Eun Seok and followed her heart to Maru. The name of her bakery is Silvertop and in Korean silver is pronounced eun and top is pronounced maru. EunMaru bakery, that is just too cute. I suppose I could keep nitpicking the ending but I’m actually really content and at peace with it, flaws and all. Below are some pictures of the cast at the wrap party. For some reason Song Joong Ki wasn’t photographed but everyone else was there.
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what is kwangsoo wearing....lolll
and lawyer ahn looks different without his glasses
Yes, yes, yes, agree with you.. doesn't recognize him for the first glance, I recognize him after mention all the cast in my mind :P
Lawyer Ahn... is the Time Travel guy in Operation Proposal?!
O______________O
I luff him now.
He really can transform from benevolent to slimy bastard back to cute ajusshi :)
OMG. You are right. This feels weird.
wait wait wait what?! omg I didn't even realize that until you mentioned it.
Well, I hope the writer gets a raise.
IDK either OcKoala, but this one does not get a complete watch due to the ending.
I'm just going to post here what I just recently posted on the ep20 recap. So I stand corrected, Maru did recognize Eun Gi after all, sometimes getting spoonfed is fun too, but like I said the ending was good as it is. :)
//
Maru didn’t get amnesia, he just couldn’t recognize faces. The ending wasn’t much of a BANG but it was fitting. I think the entire point of Nice Guy was really redemption and not revenge. I think it’s pretty clear now, that not Maruo nor Eun Gi ever gotten their revenge. This drama was about 3 broken people (and some) fixing their lives for the better. The common complain that I have been hearing is that people were really expecting Maru to die but then BAM he lived despite getting stabbed and hematoma. But that’s where the magic of Nice Guy kicks in… I don’t know if we’re all at the same boat here but for me, Nice Guy’s strongest point was it’s pacing and sudden twists and turns. We’re never 100% sure of what’s gonna happen next, and even if we have clues, we have to always second guess ourselves. Not everything is what it seems. So here comes Maru, a nice guy with very bad luck, when everything else is pointing towards his demise, we get our rugs pulled off, and he suddenly gets a dream-like ending… and the Twist? NO ONE DIED (well except for the chairman, but that was kinda coming already anyways).
Think back to Eun Gi’s words: Eun-ki: “Memory plays a game that no one can avoid. Memories will be rewritten, will decay. Are my memories whole? Can my memories be trusted? What was it that I saw that day?” And this synopsis of the drama: “No one escapes the “tricks of memory”: Memory is discolored, forgotten, and embroidered over time. So all of us become amnesiacs, forgetting loved ones and valuable emotions and insisting upon how we originally were.”
The point is again, nothing is what it seems: All the while all of us are painted with a story where everything seems to be pointing towards Maru’s death. But just as the running theme of the drama suggests, what we know now, might actually be different in the future.
Think back at all the cliffhangers of the drama, we’re always given a preview but ALWAYS in the next episode, we are given additional info of what actually happened prior the cliffhanger.
Again, nothing is what it seems, and I believe the writer stayed true to her craft. Could the ending have been better? Absolutely, but I think it is truly fitting as it is. I don’t feel cheated at all.//
Totally agree with you ^^
nice guy is the best drama of the year
Omo, lawyer Ahn is hot!
I also started suspecting that MA Ru didn't get amnesia based on the conversation between Myeong Joo and Ma Ru. His voice over, the couple ring that he gave to her at the bench scene was the same ring when he wanted to propose her. Then finally his smile he gave to her and his eyes when he look at her after that CONFIRMED that.
I didn't expect that my assumption was actually true, LOL
BEcause deep down in my heart I just refuse to believe that MA RU is getting amnesia LOL that I start getting delusional and try cheer myself LOL
Oh so I was wrong but it was so confusing heh heh. But then why the stabbing? So unnecessary!
What is Lee Kwangsoo wearing like seriously?!
Missing SJK I hope in his next project he gets to wear pants that actually fit and go past his ankle and socks.
Is Park Shi-yeon pregnant? Everyone looks happy and healthy can't wait to see all their next projects.
The circumstance that led to back stabbed scene kind force, too for me... Just don't understand Jae Gil, the guy who are willing to drag MA Ru to the hospital, letting MR go who is sick and had plan to get surgery in the next morning exit from the hospital.
Ahhh the traffic light scene, reminds me to the scene in MISA.. Wonder if traffic light scene like this is a LKH trademark? There is a traficlight scene in WISFC too..
about PSY, I kind suspicious she is pregnant..
I think the stabbing part is the point that is use to push hanjaehee to confess everything to the police..
I didn't watch the series but I can never help but feel like the actor who plays Joonha looks like Eric. Me likes :)
Yeah ! I think the same too. Hi-5 !
I was one of the ones thinking it was a dream sequence. Thank you for confirming that it's the real deal! My mood's been alternating between sad and cranky today, so this is wonderful news! (though it makes me wonder what the whole point was behind him getting stabbed and passing out in the alleyway....).
The actor playing Ahn Min Young looks loads better without the bad hair and glasses.
The clock hand runs forward instead of backwards, and the final shot is of a smiling Maru instead of a crying Maru – as a clear foreshadowing that this episode would be a happy ending.
Totally noticed this as well...so I did figure the ending wasn't randomly tacked in...though they should've done something to flow better....I still think they should've foregone the stabbing sequence, instead having the monologue while he falls to the ground put into a scene where he was taken into brain surgery...or something like that...lol...and then cut to the epilogue as it was
Overall I'm more than satisfied with the show...LSY and LKS are very cute....I wonder if SJK didn't come to the party?